


“ Why? Cause I’m not a Bender. I’m useless.  “

by Ryuto12



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Airbending & Airbenders, Angst, Bending (Avatar), Earthbending & Earthbenders, Firebending & Firebenders, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Sokka (Avatar) Needs a Hug, Toph Being Awesome, Waterbending & Waterbenders, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:08:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25376692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ryuto12/pseuds/Ryuto12
Summary: In which Sokka thinks he’s useless to Team Avatar, after having seen all there Bending Arts in action. And his friends don’t stand for it.They’ll admit they wish they weren’t Benders. And he wants to be one.It’s a double edged sword.And a little cussing cause if it wasn’t a children’s show, we know there’d be some.
Relationships: Sokka & The Gaang (Avatar), Team Avatar & Sokka
Kudos: 24





	“ Why? Cause I’m not a Bender. I’m useless.  “

Sokka never really thought anything about him not being a Bender. He had a _lot_ of skills that made him useful. He was good at swordsmanship, his boomerang was top class and he was good at martial arts. He had the smarts and was more prone to planning then his comrades, due to the fact he couldn’t just Bend his way out of something. He was talented in his own right. Just like his friends had there own skills.

He was honestly proud of himself at first, when Aang showed up and he was uncovered to be the Avatar, all was going great. The Princess literally fell in love with him. I mean, who else had that?!? But it only got worse... 

He’d watch as his friends learned new ways to Bend, learned how to be strong. Learned there own Bending Arts in MetalBending, became master Benders in general, becoming some of the greatest there was! Zuko was really talented, and that said a lot seeing how many FireBenders Sokka had seen. His sister, Azula, included. His sister could barely WaterBend in the beginning, yet now she could easily be called one of the greatest WaterBenders there was. Aang was simply an AirBender when they met, but he’d learned to be so much more, quickly learning WaterBending, and learning EarthBending, and even Tophs Seismic Sense ability! He and Zuko could go toe-to-toe in an FireBending battle. His friends were great Benders. 

Yet what was he? Not much. He got his ass kicked on multiple occasions. All by Benders. He wasn’t much...

Even Toph, who was blind, was more useful to the team than himself. 

And he shunned himself for thinking that, she’d kill him if she heard that. She wasn’t just some blind kid, he knew that well. She was worth a lot more than that, she was the greatest EarthBender he knew,(and the only one). 

His mother was probably turning over in her grave right now... He was calling himself useless— But he kinda was... 

He sometimes wished he was Bender. He didn’t even have to be a talented one like his friends, but if he was one he could help. He could try. He wouldn’t be as useless. He’d be useful to his friends. Not the one they always had to save. 

He wondered...

” You guys ever wish you weren’t Benders? “ Sokka suddenly asked after a long period of comfortable silence. 

Everyone was around a fire, courtesy of Zuko’s useful ability. Sitting on some earth benches, the work of Tophs EarthBending. The fire itself having been started when Aang used his AirBending to gather some sticks. 

His friends seemed to think.

“ Not really. “ Zuko answered. 

” Never thought of it. All Air Nomads are Benders. “ Aang shrugged. 

“ I’d be super blind then. “ Toph joked. 

” Hm... Never thought of. “ Katara answered. 

Sokka hummed in response. The only fairly good response he got was Toph’s joke. And honestly, she wasn’t wrong.

But that didn’t help. Bending was useful, a blind kid like Toph had used EarthBending to completely get rid of her blindness. Kinda. She could still “see”, in a way. Bending was useful. 

” Why do you ask? “ Aang pondered. 

” Just wondering. “ Sokka shrugged. 

He felt his brain laugh at him. “Wondering”, ya sure. 

” Your heart rate speeds up when you lie. “ Toph mused. 

Another useful ability added to EarthBending, or Toph’s Seismic Sense, she read someone’s heart beat to discover if they lied. 

Bending was really useful...

” Does it now? “ Sokka finally asked. 

” Yep. So fess up. “ Toph said casually. Though her tone was quiet stern. 

” Nothing to fess up about. “ Sokka lied. 

His very soul ached as he spoke. 

” Your lying again. “ 

“ Your Bending’s lying to you. “ Sokka‘s tone was far more harsh than he intended. 

His friend was quiet. He assumed he’d either got her to back off, or she was preparing a retort.

He assumed the latter. Being an EarthBender, she had an iron will only beat by her own MetalBending. 

A few more moments of silence passed. So Sokka assumed given up on fighting him over something minor. Which was odd, but he didn’t really care. 

Toph had always been a women with a quick tongue, a smart girl. She was good with insults and comebacks. She’d spent years taunting people, she was good with verbal fights. 

And she was quiet well with physical fights due to her Bending to...

” Ever wish you were a Bender? “ Toph finally asked. 

Sokka’s eyes widened. Of course he did. He’d been thinking about it right now. He wished he was. Any Bending Art would be fine really. He just wished he wasn’t so useless. 

” Of course I would. “ Sokka shrugged, attempting to appear like he didn’t care. But his friends weren’t stupid. “ Any Non-Bender does. It sounds pretty cool to Bend. Control water, earth, air, or create fire. Any Non-Bender would kill to be able to Bend. “   
  
“ Huh. Put it like that it sounds cool. “ Toph shrugged. “ But Bending ain’t as cool as we make it look. “ She continued.

” Why do you say that? “ Sokka asked. He was kinda bewildered at that statement. 

” The rumor of an Avatar, who could bend all 4 elements, that simple rumor was enough for the Fire Nation to kill all the Air Nomads and take out a Water Tribe. News of the Avatar made them go for the other. “ 

As Toph said that part Zuko looked sorta guilty. 

” _And,_ they took advantage of there growing power by taking over parts of the Earth Kingdom. They used there overpowered Bending Arts for the stupidest reasons I could think. In the right hands, Bending is amazing. Some people don’t know what it means to have power though. “ 

Sokka just sat back and listened. 

” She has a point. You can be a FireBender like me, or you can be my father. “ Zuko pointed out. “ Either way, while you still have a very destructive power, it depends on how you use it. Sometimes I wish I couldn’t Bend... I wouldn’t be like every other FireBender around... “ The former Prince continued. 

Sokka thought about that. But he still wasn’t convinced. 

” If I wasn’t the Avatar the Air Nomads would still be here... “ Aang sighed. 

That was extremely convincing. 

” If mom wasn’t a WaterBender... “ Katara laughed, clearly thinking back on it, with a sad tone. 

Last straw.

” What we mean, is Bending’s a double edged sword. In the right hands, it’s amazing. In the wrong hands, people abuse it to cause chaos. Kill even. “ Zuko clarified. 

Sokka was a little bit closer to convinced. 

” I’m simple terms your small brain will understand, without Bending, we wouldn’t be much. “ Toph laughed.

“ If I couldn’t Bend, I’d just be a useless blind kid like my parents thought. “ 

That broke the bridge. 

Sokka looked into the fire. Why did they have to to be so damn right?! 

” Why’d you ask anyway? “ Zuko wondered. 

” **Why? Cause I’m not a Bender. I’m useless.** “ Sokka laughed.

” Your heart rate speeds up when you lie. “ Toph’s voice slightly cracked, not enough for anyone to notice though.

But her friends weren’t anyone...

” That’s not how that works. Even I know how your EarthBending works. If someone doesn’t know there lying, there heart rate won’t speed up. “ Sokka growled back. 

” Well I’m perfectly aware your lying. “ Toph scoffed. 

The tension built between the group of friends. 

” It’s not a lie. “ Sokka shot back.

” Yes it is! “ Toph shouted at him. “ Your not even a Bender and you still have the guts to travel with a group of the greatest Benders in the world! You fight alongside us damnit! Your not useless! “ 

“ Compared to other Non-Benders I might be useful, but compared to you Benders? I’m not crap! “ Sokka shouted. 

” Your right! Your way more than that! “ Toph yelled. 

” Why do you say that! “ That was meant to be a question. 

” Your smarter than any of us! You actually think things threw! You don’t just run into something knowing you could Bend yourself out of it! You actually have to think about it! Your not useless! “ The girl continued. 

” I always end up getting saved! I can’t do anything! “ Sokka yelled. 

“ When in the hell have we had to save you! Your the one who makes the plans so we don’t have to do so! And even if we did! That’s cause your are friend! Not cause you hinder us! Why would you even think that?! “ 

“ Cause if I was a Bender I might not have lost my mom! “ Sokka burst. 

The truth fell. 

The group was silent.

Katara stared at her elder brother. “ We were kids. “ She spat. “ We couldn’t have done anything. “ 

“ We didn’t try. “ Sokka shrugged.

“ But everyone else did. And your practically stepping upon everything they did. If anything, are mother is rolling in her grave! “ 

Katara was never one to have emotional outbursts, ever. But her friends— _Family_ , things were different there. 

“ I know I have no place to comfort you, seeing as I’m a FireBender. Prince of the Fire Nation even. But as your friend, walking over peoples sacrifices isn’t fun. I’ve done it. “ Zuko sighed. 

” Tsk. “ Sokka scoffed. 

” If anything its my fault! “ Aang yelled. 

” How would it be yours? “ Sokka laughed. 

” If I didn’t run away I could’ve stopped what happened to the Air Nomads, the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom! And if Roku killed Sozin... “ He trailed off. “ It would’ve all _never_ happened. “ 

Sokka sighed. “ Don’t blame yourself for something out of your control. “ 

Aang smiled back. 

” Take your own advice. Being a Bender ain’t something we chose. “ Toph grumbled.

“ It’s good, it’s bad. It’s life. “ Aang shrugged, following up what his former teacher said. “ The elements are life. You can be all sad like water, angry like fire, stubborn like earth, or passive like air. Bending is life in many ways. “ 

“ Trust me, I’m the Avatar. I can use all four. And each one is useful, but bad in the wrong hands. Like when I couldn’t control my Fire. “ He sighed. 

Sokka smiled. “ Thanks guys. “ 

**Author's Note:**

> I’ll leave it to your imagination if he stills feels useless or not.


End file.
